


Peach Rose

by Val_Creative



Series: Language of Flowers Femslash Feb 2021 [25]
Category: His Dark Materials (TV), His Dark Materials - Philip Pullman
Genre: Arguing, Bittersweet, Canon - Book & TV Combination, F/F, Femslash, Femslash February, Femslash February 2021, Injury, Lyra's World (His Dark Materials), Magic, Magic-Users, Past Relationship(s), Rituals, Romantic Friendship, Season/Series 02, Witches (HDM) - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-26
Updated: 2021-02-26
Packaged: 2021-03-16 19:54:10
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 987
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29705742
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Val_Creative/pseuds/Val_Creative
Summary: Serafina comes to Lake Lubana, inviting Ruta Skadi herself to the clan meeting.
Relationships: Serafina Pekkala/Ruta Skadi
Series: Language of Flowers Femslash Feb 2021 [25]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2138865
Comments: 10
Kudos: 4
Collections: Femslash February





	Peach Rose

**Author's Note:**

> There's not enough HDM content about the witches or femslash in general, and espeically not femslash with the HDM witches, so I am here to deliver! Please enjoy! Any thoughts/comments are completely welcome here! Thank you!
> 
> _Note: Peach Rose - Closing of a Deal_

*

Lake Enara has been her home since the beginning of Serafina's existence. She knows every pebble, every tendril and wisp of mist drifting on the icy waters, every plumeria and winterleaf and red clover growing beneath Serafina's feet.

Kaisa agrees to leave her, searching for King Iorek Byrnison. His grey goose form vanishes into the clouds.

If she were to be formal about her arrival in Lake Lubana, Serafina would come to Novgorod in Muscovy first. She would visit the Witch-Consul there, listening to Semyon Kaulovich Martin's advice and earning his respect. He has a fierce temper, that one.

(Just like his mother, the Queen of Lake Lubana herself.)

Serafina flies herself out to the deep, dark jungles bordering Lake Lubana, plunging into the undergrowth. In the middle of a bonfire, leaping higher than any flame naturally could, Ruta Skadi writhes like a dark smoke-speck. No agonized scream escapes her. She does not shudder nor weep. Serafina's heart tightens. Ruta steps out of the flames, seemingly unharmed.

"I feel nothing," Ruta murmurs, staring intrigued over her long, brown arm and clenching her fist. Her dress-rags smell of melting silk. "Heat is cold, and the sun is heavy iron, and the winds blowing from Muscovy do not numb my hands. I am becoming _old_."

Serafina bows her head. "It is as you say, Queen Ruta Skadi."

Ruta's luminous-dark eyes sweep over her as if finally noticing Serafina's presence. Her fair face and reddish-pink scarring of cloud-pine embedded under Serafina's flesh. "Queen Serafina Pekkala," she announces tonelessly. "You do us an honour."

"Lord Asriel Belacqua has torn apart our sky. We must find Lyra Belacqua and keep her safe as the prophecy demands."

"The witches' prophecy is to do with his child?"

"Yes," Serafina tells her, watching as Ruta's features scrunch in quiet contemplation. Her exquisite and mysterious beauty has no rival. Not Serafina, not Marisa Coulter. Not anyone alive. "She is the key to our destruction or to our survival."

"Lyra Belacqua must die."

Serafina's blood inside her suddenly turns into ice. "No," she mutters, horrified by the conclusion in Ruta's voice. "No, no, she mustn't." Sergi, Ruta's bluethroat daemon, glares upon a rock as if it were a fearsome, gigantic eagle instead.

"If Lyra Belacqua is _the key_ to an end of all that we know… then she _dies_ before my sister-witches."

"That's not what I'm asking…"

Ruta glares as her daemon does, exposing her teeth. "I am aware of what you are asking," she hisses to Serafina, close enough to breath her air. Ruta's heavy gold earrings tremble furiously. "You want us to protect her. You allow Lyra Belacqua, a _mortal_ girl, to hold your heart in your hands as if she were yours. This is irresponsible, Serafina. This is an act of _weakness_."

Serafina eyes her passion, her lips tilting up.

"You have not met her," she answers, and it is the truth. Knowing Lyra is like knowing a song your soul cannot help but sing.

A scoffing noise. Ruta doesn't blink as Serafina approaches her, cradling Ruta's head tenderly and bringing their faces in. Holding her. "If you have ever loved me…" Serafina whispers, her pale green eyes reflecting moisture. "I beg you come…"

It's been _so long._

They were once as young as a witch's immortality allowed, howling into the silvery air and loosening arrows into their enemy's breast together and making love under cherry birch trees. Serafina worshiped her, lightly touching her neck and chest, spreading open Ruta's thighs with her knees. She nuzzled her bareness, teasing and laughing like clear, bright bells, panting on Ruta's wet mound until she fluttered against Serafina's lips longing to _taste_ Ruta. Her tongue worshiped Ruta just as eagerly.

Serafina knows Ruta's kiss like she knows the humming of starlight and the dread of time's passage. She knows Ruta like the natural force of flying roaring like incandescence in their veins. It is knowing it is part of Serafina as breathing is.

_"Ruta…"_

"I shall," Ruta says lowly, her expression softening with familiar and heartening emotions as Serafina quivers in relief. "You must bind yourself to me until it is over. I know you intend to go to Lord Asriel's anomaly to seek answers, and we will be lost to each other if you stray too far from our world," Ruta adds, frowning. "Do this so that I may find you wherever you go…"

Serafina nods, waiting for the other clan witch to step away and gather what is needed. Ruta passes her tiny, lavender-coloured blooms and white pedals of moonbane. "We will not be parted long," Serafina insists, chewing delicately on the flowers.

Ruta gives her young and fresh marrow of animal bones, consuming this along with a wordless Serafina. She chants, swinging her hands above her and twirling, letting the magical properties infuse their bodies. The fire incantation dizzies Serafina. Ruta encourages Serafina to chant with her, stretching her forefinger into the bonfire's powerful, purpling flames and lighting the tip.

They must burn each other. A consensual binding spell cannot work if it is self-inflicted.

"Myself in you," Ruta says in a hush, pinching Serafina's last finger on her left hand. She burns a circle around it with Ruta's flame-tipped forefinger. Serafina knows the heat paining her, swallowing a whimper. A rosy ring of inflamed skin bubbles visibly.

Serafina does the same on Ruta's left hand, burning a circle around the dark brown flesh.

_"Myself in you."_

In the back of her mind, Serafina feels Ruta. It's like a faint tingle of a lightning-storm. It's like a clap of thunder and rain when Ruta's lips seek her, bumping and moaning against Serafina's mouth, overtaking her, claiming her without utterances.

"Go now," Ruta curtly warns a wide-eyed Serafina, shoving her.

She turns away, moving in a dark, glimmering miasma.

That is how it is.

Serafina gnaws on her lip, holding back the sting of tears.

*


End file.
